How to Get Kids Into Puppetry

On March 21st, the world will welcome yet another (probably stupendously fantastic) Muppet movie, Muppets Most Wanted. This one promises to return to its lighthearted roots by making a film that’s less nostalgic and weepy than the last one, making it much more accessible for your kids. In short, it’s time to meet the Muppets (again.)

Once your family (re)learns how much fun a well-done comic caper can be, they’ll surely be chomping at the bit to get their hands into some puppetry.

If you’d like your puppets to be a bit more Muppety, there are a few things out there that can help you out.

Cheryl Hensen, daughter of Jim Hensen, wrote The Muppets Make Puppets, a neat how-to book to help you make your very own Muppets with stuff from around the house.

If your plan is to take things to the next level and buy yourself a few puppets, there are a few neat options for customizing. The most notable one is FAO Schwarz’s Muppet Whatnot Workshop where you can make a few choices and have your very own unique mini-Muppet-you for $99.

If you’re looking for something a little more home-grown, Etsy artist Puppetfluff creates custom Muppet-style puppets in whatever image you would like for under $200. How fun would it be to have high-quality puppets made of your whole family? This just screams awesome Christmas card portrait.

When coming up with puppetry ideas for your family, definitely don’t overlook finger puppets. These little guys will pull all of you into a small, intimate and creative space as you tell stories together. Start out by grabbing yourself a big collection like this one, or make them for yourselves out of felt and glue.